By Beth Gilbert HealthDay Reporter
The annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology was held from Oct. 24 to 29 in Phoenix, attracting participants from around the world, including gastroenterology and digestive disease specialists and other health care professionals. The conference featured presentations focusing on clinical updates in gastroenterology and hepatology as well as the latest advances in digestive health and gastrointestinal disorders.
In one study, Basil Jalamneh, M.D., of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and colleagues performed a large real-world retrospective cohort study with propensity score matching that compared the cardiovascular outcomes and safety profiles of tirzepatide versus semaglutide in patients with metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)/metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
The authors aimed to determine if the dual mechanism of a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (tirzepatide) would offer more cardio-protection than a selective GLP-1 receptor agonist alone (semaglutide). The safety outcomes and side effects of the two medications were also compared.
The researchers found that tirzepatide was significantly associated with decreased mortality, hospitalization, myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular disease, and heart failure events. The safety outcomes of pancreatitis, cholecystitis, choledocholithiasis, hypoglycemia, and gastroparesis were similar between the two groups. Tirzepatide was significantly associated with fewer acute kidney injury events.
“Both tirzepatide and semaglutide offer unprecedented benefit in MASLD/MASH patients; however, tirzepatide is associated with decreased burden of cardiovascular complications compared to semaglutide,” Jalamneh said. “Therefore, patients with coronary heart disease, heart failure, or frequent hospitalization would see the most clinically meaningful benefit from tirzepatide.”
One author disclosed financial ties to Ipsen.
Abstract No. Oral 31
In another study, Jessica L. Halabi, M.D., of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, and colleagues found that delaying cholecystectomy is associated with a much higher risk for recurrent biliary complications compared with same-admission surgery among patients with choledocholithiasis.
The authors followed more than 500 patients admitted with choledocholithiasis across a large health system and compared outcomes between those who underwent early cholecystectomy (during the index admission) and those whose surgery was delayed or not done.
Biliary complications, readmissions, and mortality over one year were investigated. The researchers also evaluated whether or not endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with sphincterotomy or temporary biliary stenting reduced the risk for recurrent biliary events in patients awaiting surgery.
The researchers found that about one in four patients who did not get their gallbladder removed during the initial hospitalization developed a new biliary event within a year, and most of those events happened in the first three months. Furthermore, doing an ERCP with sphincterotomy or stent placement did not offset that risk. In contrast, patients who had their cholecystectomy during the index admission had a very low complication rate.
“Our findings support current guideline recommendations that, when feasible, the gallbladder should be removed during the same hospitalization rather than delaying surgery,” Halabi said. “Relying on ERCP with sphincterotomy or stenting is not enough to protect patients from coming back with recurrent biliary problems. This argues for closer coordination between gastrointestinal surgery and anesthesia to prioritize early cholecystectomy, especially in patients who are initially labeled ‘high risk’ and end up being deferred.”
Abstract No. Oral 35
Usman Bin Hameed, M.D., of the Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, and colleagues investigated the effectiveness of food elimination plans aimed at reducing inflammation associated with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).
In a network meta-analysis of seven studies (567 participants), the authors compared major EoE dietary regimens within one framework (elemental; one-food [milk-free]; four-food [FFED]; six-food [SFED]; and amino acid formula [AAF]-supplemented variants [FFED+AAF and SFED+AAF]).
The researchers found that all regimens improved histologic remission (≤15 eosinophils per high-powered field). FFED+AAF had the highest probability of achieving remission (P score = 0.84), followed by the elemental diet (P score = 0.67). Pairwise significance was limited by small samples; the only statistically significant comparison observed was elemental being better than SFED (risk ratio, 1.19).
“In our analysis, FFED+AAF showed a higher probability of inducing histologic remission than any other regimen, suggesting a moderately restrictive, nutritionally supported approach can match the efficacy of elemental therapy while being more feasible and practical,” Hameed said.
One author disclosed financial ties to AbbVie, Gilead, Intercept, Ironwood, and Takeda.
Abstract No. P0612
Simardeep Singh, M.B.B.S., of the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Baltimore, and colleagues found that secondhand smoke is an independent and underrecognized risk factor for peptic ulcer disease.
The authors performed a retrospective case-control analysis of more than 1,000 participants and found that exposure to secondhand smoke was significantly higher among patients with ulcers (68.5 percent) compared with controls (43.1 percent). This association remained strong even after adjusting for other major contributors such as Helicobacter pylori infection, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, and alcohol intake. A clear dose-response pattern was also demonstrated: The longer the weekly exposure to secondhand smoke, the higher the likelihood of developing ulcers.
“The main conclusion is that passive tobacco smoke exposure, often dismissed as a simple irritant, should be recognized as a modifiable lifestyle factor that plays a direct role in ulcer formation. This expands our understanding of ulcer risk beyond active smoking to include those who are exposed indirectly in homes, workplaces, and public spaces,” Singh said. “Our study reinforces that even passive exposure to tobacco smoke can have measurable gastrointestinal consequences. Recognizing and addressing it can significantly improve preventive care and public health awareness.”
Abstract No. P2040
ACG: Incidence of Alpha-Gal Syndrome Increasing
TUESDAY, Nov. 4, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The incidence of alpha-gal syndrome, typically linked to bites from the lone star tick, increased considerably from 2013-2014 to 2021-2022, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, held from Oct. 24 to 29 in Phoenix.
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